The future of Travis Kelce is casting a shadow over everything the Kansas City Chiefs do right now, but the tight end is not planning to drag out the decision.
He has privately indicated he wants to decide by early March whether he will return for 2026 or walk away, giving the organization enough time to build its offseason plan around Patrick Mahomes with clarity on their Hall of Fame security blanket.
In the short term, though, all eyes in Kansas City are on the Indianapolis Colts and a defensive coordinator the Chiefs genuinely dread. As detailed in the New York Times, Andy Reid and Mahomes have told people around the league that there are two defensive minds they truly hate facing: Lou Anarumo and Mike Vrabel.
Anarumo, now running the Colts' defense, was the architect of the game plan that denied Mahomes a trip to the Super Bowl in the Bengals’ upset win in the 2022 AFC Championship Game.
Inside the building, the “biggest thing” being hammered to players is simple: avoid self-inflicted wounds. A Chiefs source told The Times that the emphasis is on playing mistake-free, staying out of third-and-long situations, and eliminating the penalties that wrecked drives in Denver.
Anarumo wants this game dragged into the mud. His plan revolves around tight-man coverage, heavy contact at the line, and a steady rotation of press, zone, and disguised pressure to throw off Mahomes’ timing and rhythm.
The stakes are high for Anarumo as well. At 59, he is expected to be in the mix for head-coaching vacancies with teams like the Giants and Titans, and a strong showing against Mahomes and Travis Kelce would serve as a live audition on a big stage.
On the health front, the Chiefs are trending toward having their full speed package available. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who missed Wednesday’s practice with an ankle issue, ramped up through the week and is expected to suit up against the Colts despite being listed as questionable, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His vertical threat and quick-game usage are crucial tools against the tight coverage looks Anarumo favors.
At 5-5 and fighting for their playoff lives, the Chiefs know style points do not matter this week. Against a coordinator they can’t stand facing and an 8-2 Colts team in rhythm, the path back into the AFC race starts with one thing: clean football.
